What is Multi-drug Resistant TB?

Tuberculosis is one of the most feared diseases, which is caused by bacterial organism known as mycobacterium tuberculosis. The airborne infection transmitted from a person through infected person via several means like sneezing, coughing or breathing. Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis and XDR-TB are two of the commonly used drugs for treating isoniazid (INH) and rifampin tuberculosis types.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is most likely to attack respiratory mechanism, although it could spread through other organs as well. Among the common symptoms of tuberculosis are fever, night sweats, weight loss, chest pain and coughing. The disease becomes resistant if ignored for long or prescriptions regimen is not complied with. If tuberculosis remains untreated, there remains risk of transmission to masses and healthcare staff.

Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR - TB) occurs along with fatal HIV infection or AIDS, which degrades health of an individual by affecting his immune system. This should be noted that HIV infections do not lead to the condition of drug resistance, although progression of TB infection into active TB disease is accelerated by HIV infection. The MDR TB syndrome becomes deadly in individuals affected with HIV/AIDS and causes death.

Prevention of Multi-drug Resistant TB

World Health Organization has been promoting the DOTS therapy for prevention and treatment of multi-drug resistant TB. The health institution has released a set of guidelines for treatment of the multi-drug resistant TB along with medication regimen.

These guidelines are followed in all health clinics treating the condition of tuberculosis. Prescribed medications if followed according to the guidelines reduce the effects of drug resistant TB significantly.

Some of the general guidelines for structuring an effective program for prevention of multi-drug resistant TB are:

1. Early identification of TB
2. Immediate isolation and treatment of affected individuals
3. Educating health care staff about all aspects of TB
4. Regular screening for health care staff
5. Effective practices at usage of tools at health clinics such as respiratory protection
6. Using appropriate exhaust ventilation for preventing infectious droplets in air.
7. Preventing air contamination around infected individual by changing direction of air flow
8. Regular check on air filtration

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